Perfect conditions throughout the Portes Du Soleil

This winter got off to a very slow start, with Mt Chery even opening up for bikes just after Christmas. But the wait has been worth it and heavy snow has fallen just in time for the end of the school holidays.

From Thursday to Saturday approximately 60 centimetres of snow fell, with an extra top up on Sunday night.

The best skiing while the snow was falling was to be found in Lindarets, especially around The Stash. The Fornet Area and the Mossettes chair were closed during the snow due to the weather. 

Both of these areas are now open, and the snow conditions are currently excellent, with a snow depth of 265 centimetres at the top and 175 centimetres lower down. The pistes are in perfect condition and the off piste is deep and light. 

From the Mossettes chair it's possible to head over towards Les Crosets and Champery, which are relatively free of crowds and fresh snow can still be found quite easily.

The avalanche risk is currently three out of five and there have been a number of avalanches, including a big slide on Mt Chery on Sunday.

The popular Satellite off piste, accessed from the top of the Chaux Fleurie lift, currently has a number of cracks in the snow pack and could avalanche quite easily, so whenever heading off piste at the moment it is best to be as cautious as possible.

The best conditions on the pistes are higher up, as there was some rain along with the snow lower down. The off piste in Fornet might be exhausted by now but the pistes are perfect. Conditions are also very good around Lindarets, Linga and over towards Chatel.

In Avoriaz 33 out of 34 lifts are open, and all pistes are open. In Chatel 41 out of 43 lifts are open and 43 out of 45 runs are open. 

More snow is expected in the next couple of days and the current forecast suggests that the weekend should bring back the sun. The temperatures should remain low, around -8, so the snow should hold for now. 

If the weather closes in as expected then the trees, especially around Lindarets, will once again offer the best option for skiing.

Whilst conditions are good all over the Portes Du Soleil, Champery often suffers later in the season and by April snow can be patchy (the Grand Paradis run is often closed because of poor snow). Due to the current cold weather the snow cannons are running on the lower pistes in preparation for the warmer weather to come in the next couple of months.

Things are certainly looking good for now and hopefully will remain so for the rest of the winter.